Chicago Students Wear Orange To Honor Hadiya Pendleton, Gun Violence Victims
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Orange is the color of hope today across Chicago. People are wearing the bright hue in honor of national gun violence awareness day and at the center of it all, young Hadiya Pendleton, a Chicago teen murdered in a South Side park.
CBS 2's Jim Williams reports orange was everywhere at Harold Washington Park from T shirts to ribbons around trees.
The event was inspired by friends of Hadiya Pendleton, and at Hadiya's former grade school, younger children showed us remarkable empathy.
At Carter G. Woodson South grade school, 11 and 12 year old students, that age when kids want to be cool they all signed on to wear orange, supporting Gun Violence Awareness Day.
Tuishon Murry's cousin was hurt by gun violence. He says he survived but was shot many times.
Aniya Thomas's father did not survive.
"My father actually died a long time ago," she said.
Hadiya Pendleton, shortly before she was shot to death, graduated from the school. Her photo hangs over Assistant Director Jarred Brown's desk.
"It helps me daily when I am able to see it just to remember; she was actually the first student I ever met when I came here -- big smile. It was just a welcoming presence," Brown said.
The children at Woodson School know the significance.
The stand against gun violence in the park is designed to be fun, with live music, food and a poetry slam -- bathed in Orange. The mayor made an appearance too.
